


In Dreams

by dreamingofazriel



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses, ACOMAF - Fandom, ACOTAR, acofas, acowar - Fandom, wings and embers - Fandom
Genre: ACOTAR - Freeform, ACOWAR, Elriel, F/M, Nessian - Freeform, Sarah J Maas, Wings and Embers, acofas - Freeform, acomaf, sjm - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-03-01 09:19:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13291815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamingofazriel/pseuds/dreamingofazriel
Summary: This will be a Nessian and Elriel fic, mostly Nessian, in which Azriel teaches Cassian about dream walking.When Cassian opens his eyes he is at a human ball and standing next to him is Azriel. Azriel, however has no wings and is wearing the human male fashion, the burns on his hands are gone. He silently hands Cassian a glass of champagne and says “I wondered when you were going to show up.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> All characters belong to Sarah J Maas.

When Cassian opens his eyes he is at a human ball and standing next to him is Azriel. Azriel, however has no wings and is wearing the human male fashion, the burns on his hands are gone. He silently hands Cassian a glass of champagne and says “I wondered when you were going to show up.”

“What? What is this? Where are we?” Cassian fumbled over the questions that he directed towards Azriel. Azriel nodded his head to the room, they were at what appeared to be a human ball. There was not one single fae amongst them, save for he and Azriel. Cassian stared out into the crowd, the females, women all wore large bustled gowns, with gloves, and little cards were hanging off their wrist, their hair and make-up was immaculately done. The males, men were all finely dressed in jackets and slacks of varying shades of blue, black, and gray. Even Azriel was dressed in a charcoal get-up and “Where are your wings?”

Azriel just laughed, we are in a dream. Although, I am not sure if you are in Elain’s dream as I am, or if you’re in Nesta’s. Now they are either dreaming of the same moment or one sister pulled the other into this dream or memory as it were.” Azriel replied.

“Again, where the hell are your wings?” Cassian asked. He could hear the distress in his voice.

“I needed to blend in, so I made them disappear. Go ahead, picture yourself as one of these humans. Think away your wings, the long hair, lighten your skin tone or darken it, change your eye color completely, and make your clothes match those of the humans around us.” Azriel instructed.

“Just think it?” Cassian asked.

“Will it into being, visualize what the girls need to see. Make sure you look completely different so as the girls will not realize that you, brother are not supposed to be here.”

“How long have you been doing this?”

“I am the spymaster” Azriel said dryly. “You can manipulate others during their dreams, which is why I am here. Elain has now pulled me in a few dozen times now. I’ve been to their estate, their cottage, trailing behind the girls as they go to town.”

“Why?” asked Cassian who now had no wings and wore a black suit. Cassian had given himself dark green eyes, only a slight tan, and salt and pepper hair.

“Because of that right there” and as Azriel pointed the burns on his hands disappeared. “Lucien keeps showing up. He insists on trying to insert himself into all of Elain’s dreams and memories. However, he doesn’t seem to know how to play by the rules, and a fae with a metal eye chasing her everywhere scares her.”

“Lucien is trying to make Elain think about him?” Cassian couldn’t hide his distain for Lucien. “Doesn’t he realize he’s frightening her?”

“No.” Azriel replied. “He has yet to observe the human interactions in this room. He keeps interrupting Elain and her dance partners. See that card on the women’s wrist?” Cassian nodded. “The men sign the cards and the dance that they would like to dance with the woman. Elain is a stickler for social propriety.” Azriel gave Cassian a rueful smile, “Thus, I have the next five dances,”

Cassian laughed, “five?”

“It seems that when a man wants to court a woman he dances with her several times throughout the night, usually sporadically.”

“But you signed up for the next five?” Cassian raised an eyebrow at his brother. 

Azriel gave a roguish grin. “Indeed, I have. Also, in here I go by Aza. That is when I’m not invisible. If we take out the two s in your name you could be called Cain.” 

Cassian only nodded his agreement. 

“But whatever you do,” Azriel warned, “do NOT break character, not even to Lucien. He’ll sense who we are, but you deny it. He doesn’t need to know that we are consciously here.”

“Elain is walking over here” Cassian pointed out.

“Do what I do” Azriel said under his breath.

Azriel bowed deeply at the waist as Elain curtsied and offered her hand to him. Azriel lightly kissed it.  
“Lady Elain Archeron, I would like to introduce you to my dear cousin Lord Cain Night.”

Cassian bowed deeply, and Elain curtsied but did not offer him her hand. 

“Its lovely to meet you Lord Night.”

“Please call me Cain” Cassian said with a smile. Holy crap this was formal. Cassian couldn’t see how Az could stand doing this all the time.

“Then you must call me Elain” she said with a smile. Cassian realized he hadn’t seen Elain this lucid in a long while. Perhaps that was why Azriel didn’t mind the formality.

“Aza, I see you signed us up for the Tarantella. You know its my favorite quick step” Elain gushed with yet another smile. Then the smile faltered as Elain took Azriel’s unburnt hands into her own. Elain tsked at them “These simply will not do” then Azriel’s hands were scarred again. “I much prefer you this way.” The two stood smiling at each other, maybe Azriel was always being pulled into Elain’s dreams for another reason.

The music changed. It became fast and upbeat. “Shall we lady?” Azriel asked Elain. 

“We’ll see you soon Cain” Elain called back to him and they were off. The Tarantella was indeed quick, they were in lines, in pairs, spinning away from each other and back again. Cassian just stood there dumbfounded staring after his brother and Elain.

Cassian leaned against a wall and let his eyes sweep across the room and there she was, Nesta. She wore a dark plum colored gown with a bustle in back, dark gloves were on her lovely hands, and she wore deep purple heeled shoes. The heel must be at least six inches high. Nesta even had on make-up and her hair was in an elegant knot with tendrils of curls expertly placed to look as though they had loosened and fallen out. 

Nesta stood with a gaggle of girls drinking champagne and, and Nesta was laughing. Cassian moved, he took an angled path that led straight to her and then stood only a few feet away from her. This dream, he could use it, not to manipulate her but to tell Nesta all the things that he wanted to say to her and never could. There didn’t need to be barbed comments and bickering here, no Cassian could tell Nesta that she was the most beautiful female, woman that he had ever seen. He could try to make her laugh, watch her smile, and maybe dance with her. Cassian observed the human men for a few moments before he made his move and approached Nesta.

Cassian cleared his throat and the girls all looked his way. He bowed deeply at the waist the women all curtsied. As he rose from his bow he caught Nesta’s gaze and held it.

Looking only at Nesta Cassian said “I saw you from across the ballroom and I had to come introduce myself. I am Lord Cain Night.”

The other girls said something, he didn’t know what it was, and he didn’t care. Cassian completely blocked them out.

Nesta, still holding Cassian’s unwavering gaze said, “I am Lady Nesta Archeron.”

“If you have a dance free Lady Archeron, may I” everything was so formal and then the words slipped from his mind.

Nesta gave Cassian a small smile, “You may have the next dance sir. It is a ¾ waltz, a particular favorite of mine.”

“It is mine as well” he said. Thank the cauldron he’d danced a waltz.

The waltz was uniformed dance, like a unit of soldiers marching to the beat of a single drum. They spun and pivoted quietly for a moment before Cassian told Nesta “you dance beautifully.”

Nesta smiled and gave a nod of her head in thanks to the compliment. “As do you sir.” Then she abruptly stopped moving and pulled Cassian off the dance floor. “I am sorry sir, but I must go to my sister.”

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

Nesta bit her lip “I don’t understand how this keeps happening” she mumbled to herself but to Cassian she said, “It will sound crazy sir.”

“What is it?”

“Can you, can you see that man over there? My sister Elain’s dance partner, Aza he can see him too. We seem to be the only three that can though.”

“Aza is my cousin.” Cassian told Nesta.

“Then perhaps you can see him too?” Nesta looked nervous and she too was frightened.

Cassian knew immediately that Nesta was seeing Lucien and he had to remind himself to keep his act up as he asked Nesta, “Do you mean that red haired fae male with the metal eye?”

“Yes” she breathed. “He must be using some fairy magic to disguise himself because even Lord Nolan hasn’t noticed the male and he hunts fae.” Nesta began to walk quickly to Elain, who was still dancing with Azriel. Nesta said to Cassian, “He’s always trying to push her dance partners away and get her alone. I’m so scared he will take her” and Cassian heard Nesta say under her breath, “just like Feyre.”

“We won’t let him. I won’t let him” Cassian said fiercely.

Cassian watched as Lucien stalked onto the dance floor and tapped Azriel’s shoulder, “May I cut in?”

Elain stiffened and began to shake. Azriel was right, she was terrified too. And from what Cassian had just gathered from Nesta, Elain was afraid that she too would be stolen away.

Azriel looked Lucien up and down, “No you may not” and then danced Elain closer to the veranda that led outside. Cassian and Nesta followed them, as did Lucien. When all five of them were outside they faced off, Lucien against Azriel, Cassian, Nesta, and Elain.

“Elain we need to talk, alone.” Lucien said reaching for Elain but Azriel put himself in between them.

“You sir are no gentleman.” Azriel told Lucien as Cassian tried not to laugh. What a fine actor his brother turned out to be. He knew Azriel was enjoying it too. “A woman with the pedigree of Lady Archeron cannot speak to an unknown man alone, unchaperoned. She most certainly will not be speaking to one that interrupts her dance and this ball.”

Lucien looked like he was going to punch Az which made Cassian see red.

“She is my mate and I need to talk to her, alone. Especially since none of you will leave us alone for more than a few moments during the day.” Lucien huffed and extended his hand to Elain again.

Nesta stepped forward, “You are mad. What is a mate? When have we ever met you? Or spent time with you? And why would we even dain to speak to a fairy after all your kind has done to us?” Elain nodded a teary-eyed agreement.

“You are fae Nesta, as is Elain and Azriel, not Aza. I’m just going to assume that you’re Cassian” Lucien said with a nod towards Cassian but all four of them wore faces of confusion.

Azriel removed a glove, Cassian hadn’t noticed him wearing them, his hands were unmarred again, then he slapped Lucien across the face with it. Both girls gasped as Cassian’s howl of laughter was covered by a coughing fit.

“I challenge you to a duel, swords at dawn” declared Azriel. Lucien just looked annoyed. Cassian wondered how many times Azriel had slapped him.

But then Elain grabbed Azriel’s hand again. She examined it, turning it over and over and then his burns reappeared. “There you are” Elain whispered.

Lucien looked devastated and Cassian knew why. Az had made his hands appear normal so that when Elain changed them, Lucien would know that it was Azriel that Elain dreamed of and not him. 

Lucien disappeared but so did everything else. 

Cassian made himself invisible as Nesta was running along side the wall. She hit it, kicked it threw stones at it, beat at it with her fist, and she still could not pass. Then Nesta wailed “Feyre” over and over again.

Cassian jolted awake and jumped out of his bed. A voice in the corner said, “You cannot go to her.”  
Azriel. Az threw a shield around them, “No matter what you saw or heard you cannot go. Nesta doesn’t realize she pulled you into her dream Cassian she will see it as a violation.”

“But she was looking for Feyre. And I have said such horrible things to her.” Cassian’s voice broke, “The way she was screaming, crying for Feyre.” Cassian couldn’t continue.

“Feyre knows what Nesta did, and the things we all said were both true and untrue. You must continue to be a complete jackass to her, if she finds out this will end badly.”

“I know” Cassian said. Az was right, he usually was.

“Meet me in 20 minutes in the sparing ring. We can go a few rounds before Feyre’s lesson.” Azriel winnowed away.

Cassian sighed and began his routine to start the day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassian decides to dream walk again, but can he handle what he sees?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All Characters belong to Sarah J Maas.

When Cassian finally went down to breakfast Nesta was there alone at the table. There wasn’t anything left of the easy going Nesta from the dream or memory or whatever Cassian had been in, no this Nesta was already on the defense and it was only 8 in the morning. She sat stiffly in her chair, shoulders squared, and chin held high, no make-up or adornments to be found, of course they weren’t at a ball. When Cassian thought it over though, the Nesta he knew never wore any of that no matter what the occasion. No, the Nesta Cassian knew looked rather severe, uncomfortable even after all these months of knowing each other. Nesta’s magic was thrumming all around her, he knew her steel willpower was holding her in place, waiting for him to make his move. 

“Morning Nesta” he said by way of greeting. Her eyes flicked up to his as she reached for her tea and nodded her response. They were alone, why couldn’t she at least attempt to talk to him? He took a bite of his bacon and drank some coffee, “sleep well?” he asked.

Nesta eyed him wearily, “It was fine.”

“Aren’t you going to ask how I am?” Cassian asked as he waggled an eyebrow at her, “That’s how a conversation works. I say something, then you say something, then me and so forth.”

“Would you like me to converse with you Cassian?” Would that make you feel better?” Nesta asked with an overly pleasant voice.

“I would Nesta. I would like to talk to you over breakfast since we are enjoying this lovely meal together.” They both leveled stares at each other.

“Fine” Nesta said. “I enjoyed my sleep, then I woke and decided that I needed a cup of tea. I was, (she emphasized that was) sitting here alone looking out at the garden when you bounded in and started yapping at me.”

“Bounded in?” Cassian asked.

“Yes, you are very… bouncy in the morning, its off putting” she replied as she took another sip of tea.

“How many months have you been with us Nesta?”

“Six, unfortunately” she replied blandly.

“Six months and you still don’t attempt to talk to any of us first. You’re still stiff, still uncomfortable, and still restrained. Tell me Nesta, how can we get you to relax and enjoy our time together? Or just” Cassian drummed his fingers on the mahogany table “how can I help you be more comfortable?”

Nesta regarded him “I am as relaxed. I am as comfortable as I will ever be I suppose.”

“Come on Nesta, seriously.”

“There is nothing you can do” and apparently that was that, end of discussion. Nesta grabbed her tea cup and left the room without another word to him. Fine, Cassian thought, tonight he would try to slip back into her dream again and try to find something, anything that Nesta liked, anything to make her life here easier.

He was invisible on a road walking silently behind Nesta, Elain, and Feyre. Their clothes were no longer fine and Nesta’s face looked pinched and severe, just like it did at breakfast. And it sucked, it saddened him to see her looking so angry when just last night at the ball she’d seen happy.

Elain was saying, “Feyre you shouldn’t run like that, its boyish. You’ll never find a husband behaving like that.”

Feyre turned and stuck out her tongue, “I don’t want a husband, I want you two married off so there’s less mouths to feed” and with that Feyre took off at a sprint down the road. Cassian laughed at Feyre, turns out she quite likes being married and having a husband.

“Where do you think she’s going in such a hurry?”

“To that barn, to meet with Isaac Hale” Nesta replied.

“Why can’t she be more like you and Tomas? Go on proper walks and family dinners together, instead of sullying herself and her reputation” Elain complained.

The scene around him changed. There was a barn and he could hear Nesta and some male, man talking.

“Dinner with my family” the boy, not man was saying.

“That’s a big step Tomas, are you sure?”

“I’m sure about us Nesta.” The boy was smiling and so was Nesta, although her smile didn’t reach her eyes.

“You’re sure about us?” Nesta asked.

“Well yea. I figure one day we’ll marry and I’ll take over the family business.”

“The firewood business or is there another?”

“The firewood. Why was there something else?”

The scene changed again, and this time Cassian knew he was no longer in Nesta’s memory. No, this was a dream. 

Nesta’s hair was in a loose braid and she was wearing light brown suede pants with a white buttoned shirt. The brown boots she wore went all the way up her calves and she was carrying a large red bag as she boarded the ship and took a seat next to the railing. 

Cassian made himself appear as Cain again. He was surprised how much he liked the gray streaks in his hair and beard. One woman walking down the pier said to her friend that he was going to be a “silver fox”, he had no idea what it meant but he took it as a compliment. 

Cassian sat down next to Nesta and said “Miss Archeron isn’t it?”

Nesta used her hands to shield her eyes as she looked up at him, “It is. I’m sorry sire but have we met?”

Cassian was disappointed that she hadn’t remembered him, “We met at a dance once I believe, my name is Cain. Just where are you headed too?”

“Well Cain, you may call me Nesta and I don’t know” she said with a grin. 

“You don’t know?” he laughed. “I find that intriguing.”

“I’ve always dreamed of traveling the world, sailing on the high seas. I want to see it all. All the places I’ve read about or dreamed about, I want to see it all” Nesta said. Her eyes were big and hopeful, and Cassian felt a little sick knowing that her dream would never come true.

“I hope you get to see all that you want and more Nesta” Cassian replied.

They sat quietly for a moment, watching the sailors hoist the bridge, unmoor the ship, and begin their journey down the channel, out to open water. The ocean breeze made Nesta’s hair even looser, tendrils of it whipped across her face. Cassian wanted to reach over and tuck it behind a rounded ear but then Nesta gave a shriek of delight as the ship rose and fell, the salt water kissing her face. Nesta turned to him, she was all smiles, “Isn’t this wonderful?”

“Indeed” he said as he pulled her up so that they could stand by the railing and look over.

“It’s amazing. We’re leaving. We’re going to see the world, and nothing can stop us” she nearly yelled.

Us, Cassian thought and suddenly he was in Nesta’s room, her bathroom in the townhouse. She stood silently wrapped in a fluffy white towel in front of a tub full of clear water, and yet Nesta was paralyzed to the spot, unable to climb into the tub. All her dreams were gone and there was only this nightmare that was left.

Cassian stood invisible again, he was scared to breathe. It was just Nesta, Cassian, and the pristine white tub, that had just grown larger. Shit. It was becoming the cauldron. Nesta stood it down as if willing it back to a normal size tub. She did a quick movement with her hands, a shield, Cassian realized. Then Nesta let out a scream that broke mirrors, windows, and vases, and Cassian sat up.

He was panting. Had that last bit ever really happened? Did Nesta put up shields around her room while she raged and cried, and no one knew? He had to know. Cassian pulled on his fighting leather pants and opened his door.

Azriel stood there glaring at him, “No” he said.

“Move Az.”

Azriel slammed his power into Cassian, pushing him fully back into his room. Azriel walked in and his own blue tinged shield covered the room. “If you can’t handle what you see then don’t dream walk” his brother said with a growl.

“I only went in to see what makes her happy, I didn’t know it would change to, to what it did” Cassian replied.

“Then ask Nesta what makes her happy” Azriel snarled.

Cassian stared Azriel down, “you need to get out.”

“Stay out of Nesta’s head. You can’t handle it. You’re going to see things you don’t want to see or know about. And if you keep fleeing to her you will lose her forever” Azriel warned.

“I can handle it” Cassian growled.

“Then fucking act like it” Azriel snarled.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassian finds out who Tomas is and what she was afraid Tomas would do. Lucien learns Elain's fear of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters belong to Sarah J Maas.
> 
> Trigger warning: Rape and physical abuse.

When he first entered the stables, he could hear Tomas and Nesta arguing, then suddenly he somehow became trapped in an invisible glass box, that neither Tomas or Nesta could see or hear. This was the worst thing Cassian had ever experienced. Nesta or he had trapped him in this nightmare, this never-ending nightmare that was becoming worse and worse.

“I can’t go through with this Tomas” Nesta was saying.

“Here I was, willing to marry the coldest, prudish, heartless shrew in the village and this is how you repay me?”

“I have given you your ring back.”

“You’ve only worn it for two days, Nesta.”

“It was a mistake to say yes.”

“I deserve something for my troubles, for putting up with you” Tomas sneered.

Cassian, hearing the violence in Tomas’ voice tried to move but he was trapped. He heard him slap Nesta and her fall to the ground. Nesta yelled “No!” but not nearly loud enough. 

Cassian watched as she began to scramble away but Tomas grabbed Nesta’s leg, pulling her back towards him. Her dress clung then ripped on a rusty nail coming sticking out of the floorboard. Nesta’s fingers dug into the wooden floor, leaving long marks as her nails broke and what remained of them filled with splinters. Then she began to fight. 

Cassian, ever the commander, was yelling orders to Nesta that she could not hear. “Twist left, his left is open damn it. Kick him in the face, bite his arm, his groin is open. Come on baby don’t stop fighting.”   
Thank the fucking cauldron, somehow Nesta had managed to kick Tomas in the groin and ran. Tomas lay on the floor bellowing curses after her. Cassian smiled, she’d won, Nesta had gotten away. Then it started over again.

“It was a mistake to say yes.”

“I deserve something for my troubles, for putting up with you” Tomas sneered.

Again, he hit Nesta, again her dress ripped, again her nails were broken, and splinters were embedded in them, but this time so they were in her hands and along her arms as well. Then Cassian watched as Tomas ripped open the fabric of her dress. Nesta tried to kick and hit him again, but Tomas was popping the buttons off the top of her dress.

“I’ll have you Nesta Archeron one way or another, you prude bitch” Tomas yelled. Then it started over.

On the fifth time, Tomas pulled out a knife and Cassian fell against the glass wall. He pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his head there, closing his eyes. It was cowardly, but Cassian covered his ears, but he could still hear her. Nesta screamed and cried for what seemed like hours and then there was silence. Cassian chanced a look and watched as Tomas grunted with every thrust into her. Nesta’s eyes met Cassian’s and she mouthed go, and so he did.  
The next day Cassian found Nesta reading in the library. He stormed in and automatically threw up a shield around the room. Nesta looked up and seeing the rage on his face, put her book down and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Cassian could not grab hold of his hate, his anger, or his need for vengeance as he growled out “Tomas.”

Azriel was silently watching Elain dream about cleaning up her house, making tea for her and Nesta, and then picking weeds out of the garden in a floppy straw hat with a rather large pink ribbon attached to it. He chuckled silently to himself. As her dream went on it turned into afternoon and suddenly she was on Graysen’s arm, on the cobbled main street of their town. Graysen stopped at a cart where a peddler was selling flowers and placed a small white rose into Elain’s hair. They were talking and laughing and rounding a corner when Azriel felt the familiar tug of Elain’s thoughts, he caught up with her just in time to see Lucien step into the couple’s path.

Elain let out a very loud and audible gasp, but Graysen was already drawing his sword. Lucien lunged towards Elain as she screamed “Kill it Graysen!”

“It” Azriel noted with frown as he watched Graysen’s sword come down, slicing into Lucien’s arm. “Don’t worry my love, it will not harm us today.”

“I’ve come for my mate” Lucien growled at Elain’s human.

“She is no such thing fairy.”

Azriel watched as Elain was slowing turning into fae. Her ears began to delicately point, she had a slight glow, her hair became more golden, and her eyes rich caramel coloring became brighter. 

“Elain, what has he done to you?” Graysen shouted reaching for her, but Lucien got there first.

“Elain is fae, and my mate” Lucien said to Graysen.

Looked Elain up and down before he snarled, “Get her out of my sight.”

Elain’s lips were trembling as she whispered “Graysen.”

“Come Elain” Lucien said tugging on her elbow. But Elain didn’t want to go with Lucien. 

“Azriel” she screamed. “Azriel!” He landed in front of Elain and Lucien.

Azriel reached for a sword, “step away from the lady” he said.

“No.”

You have got to be kidding me, Azriel thought. He had no desire to kill Lucien even if it was in a dream, but for her, he would.

Elain was visibly shaking, and her voice quavered as she said “Please don’t let him take me. This can’t happen, not again, not like Feyre, not like Hybern. Please Azriel, don’t let him take me.”

“Never” said Azriel, and as he reached for Elain, Lucien released her. 

“I would never hurt you Elain” Lucien said sadly.

“Then give me back my free will.”

“I never took it Elain.”

“Forcing me to be your mate, it takes away my choice of who I want to love.” Elain turned to Azriel, “Please take me home.” 

They were in her room when Elain said, “I hope I’m not being too presumptuous or too forward, but I have to do this” and then Elain was kissing him. 

“Fuck” he said out loud as he woke up. He groaned as he proceeded to take care of his fully erect member.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> NSFW
> 
> Azriel and Elain have their dream come true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters belong to Sarah J Maas.

Nesta didn’t move or even acknowledge that Cassian had said her would be rapist name, she just sat there. “Say something” Cassian growled.

“Exactly what Tomas are you speaking of?” she asked flatly.

“Mandray” Cassian growled again. He couldn’t stop himself from growling, snarling, and that deadly desperation to kill the boy.

“Why” Nesta said quietly “are you asking about him?”

“I think you know why” Cassian snapped.

Nesta’s face turned red, not in embarrassment, but in anger. “How would I possibly know why you are inquiring about a man from my village? Why would I know that? Why does he even matter? He’s just some woodcutter’s son.”

Cassian released a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding, “Just son woodcutter’s son” he huffed a laugh before bellowing, “that you were going to marry.”

Nesta snorted “We were engaged for all of two days, I’m not sure that counts. Is this why you’re angry? Cauldron knows that if I had married Tomas I wouldn’t have been on the estate when Hybern came for me. I would not have been kidnapped. I would not be fae. I would have been home, safe with my husband. By now we might have been expecting a child. So, don’t stand there huffing and puffing at me about a man you know nothing about or a life you never knew could have existed.”

Cassian prowled to Nesta until he was standing in front of her chair. He braced his hands on either side of Nesta on the armrest and said deadly quietly, “If you miss him so damn much then I will fly you to him right now. Perhaps we can still convince him to marry you.”

Nesta met Cassian’s glare and did not flinch, did not show any sign of fear, except for the slight speed up of her heart. But she willed it back to a normal calm pace. “Fine. If you want to deliver me to Tomas, then do it” she challenged Cassian. 

Oh, she was good, Nesta knew very well that Cassian would do no such thing and that he’d have to concede to her and admit defeat. “I won’t. You know I won’t.”

Cassian stood and walked to an empty chair and sat. He released a frustrated noise, “Would you really go back to him?” he asked wearily. 

Their eyes met and held, “Would you really let me go?” Nesta asked.

“No” was all he said.

 

Elain was naked, her ivory skin nearly glowed in the dark. Azriel watched as she rode some male that he couldn’t see. His eyes roamed up and down her spine, the curvature of her body, the way her hair danced during their love making. She was beautiful. When Elain fell back in ecstasy, he saw wings flare out as he watched himself flip her, Azriel woke.

Azriel chucked on a pair of black and gray flannel pants and walked out his door. The third ono the left was Elain’s room. He knocked softly, he could hear her putting on a robe before coming to open the door. As she swung it open their eyes met, she stepped aside for him to come in, as the door shut a blue tinged shield went around the room and then he kissed her.

It wasn’t like other kisses he’d shared with his lovers, perhaps it was because he knew her so well and he’d seen in her dream exactly what she wanted. They did not explore each other’s mouths with their tongues, instead they used the entirety of their lips. Azriel lightly pulled on Elain’s bottom lip and then bit it, she responded in kind. 

Elain let her iridescent robe fall to the floor and then Azriel helped her with her flimsy nightgown. Elain didn’t wear underthings. She grinned at him and said, “I was hoping you would come.”

Elain helped Azriel take off his pants, he too had nothing else on. “I was hoping you would want me to come.” Azriel reached for the back of her neck and pulled her body closer to his, her back against his chest. One of his scarred hands cupped a breast, before his fingers trailed to a nipple, her rolled it between a thumb and forefinger feeling it harden. Azriel’s other hand slowly slid up and down Elain’s body. Then he dragged his fingers back and forth across her hips before changing direction. He ran a finger slowly up and down her wet slit. Elain let out a gasp and attempted to bend forward ever so slightly but Azriel held her close to his body, keeping her upright.

Elain’s hand reached behind her body, searching for his erect member, she grasped it. Azriel was long, hard, and smooth, the tip was slightly wet. She ran her hand up and down it before she laid her head against his chest and said, “Take me to bed.” He didn’t need to hear anything else as he scooped Elain up and carried her to the large four post bed.

Azriel was prone over the top of Elain when he thought to ask, “Elain, have you ever done this before?”

Elain met his eyes and she boldly leaned up to kiss him and said “No, but I want my first time to be with you and I want it to be now. Don’t ask me if I’m sure, I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.” So Azriel didn’t ask her, he simply inserted one finger inside of Elain, checking her wetness and Azriel would have sworn he’d never felt anything as slick as Elain. He pumped his finger slowly, once, twice, and inserted a second finger. He could feel the tightness of her walls around him. Azriel slid his fingers out and licked the side of one finger, the other he lightly swept across Elain’s lips. Her brown eyes widened in lust and desire, they met each other in a passionate kiss, as Azriel eased himself into Elain. She let out a gasp but her devoured it, as the pain began to subside Elain bit his lip lightly and Azriel began to move.

His thrust was slow at first and he marveled at her gasps and his name on her lips. He began to kiss down her neck, her shoulder, her breast, before his lips came to the darkened circle of skin and he began to suck and flick his tongue across the nipple, he smiled. Azriel moved his other arm down Elain’s body until his finger swept over Elain’s clit. He circled and swirled as she released a cry.

Elain’s fingers had been trailing his chest, but as she began to quiver in Azriel’s arms, her nails dug so deep into his chest, she drew blood. Elain reached up and grabbed each of Azriel’s talons in a hand and let them fall languidly down both at the same time.

As Elain’s fingers slid down his wings Azriel could barely control himself, so he gave into that primal part of himself and sped up. They came at the same time. It was the most exquisite feeling to be Elain’s first, to make her tremble, and call out for him. Until they heard a banging on the door. 

Azriel removed himself from Elain as Lucien pounded on the door again, a male that could feel his mate’s desire. They had shielded the room but not Elain’s thoughts or feelings. “Elain, let me in. I felt you.” 

Elain looked mortified, as she whispered, “The bond.” Azriel’s shield couldn’t protect them from that. 

He hated that fucking bond and right now he hated Lucien. He hated him for keeping him from taking Elain again and for the anger in her eyes, ruining their moment. He hated that he’d never heard of a mating bond fail. No matter what Elain said, or what the legends told, he’d never personally seen one fail. So, he hated Lucien even more because in the end, Elain would be Lucien’s and not his.

Lucien jiggled the locked door handle but Azriel’s shield was stronger and it kept Lucien out.


End file.
